Situation Analysis on the Human Rights and Protection of Persons Iii with Albinism in Mozambique with a Special Focus on Human Trafficking
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Consultant: Viktoria Perschler December 2018 Acknowledgements The Consultant wishes to thank the many individuals who contributed to this situation analysis by providing their time for interviews including representatives from the Office of the Attorney General; the Ministry of Justice, Constitutional and Religious Affairs; the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action; the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security; the Central Office for Combating Corruption; the Commission for Human Rights; the Police of the Republic of Mozambique; the National Service for Criminal Investigation; the National Service for Migration; the Maputo City Court, as well as the representatives from various non- and inter-governmental organizations and institutions including the Association of Traditional Healers of Mozambique; the Episcopal Commission for Migrants, Refugees and Displaced Persons; the Liga for Human Rights; Redecame; Fundação Apoio Amigo; Reprodic; Kanimambo; the University of Eduardo Mondlane and UNESCO. I would also like to thank the High Commission of Canada to Mozambique that made it possible to carry out the situation analysis. A special thank you goes to the organizations that helped to organize interviews and focus group discussions with persons with albinism, Albimoz and Azimap. Moreover, I am most grateful to all persons with albinism who sacrificed their time and were willing to share their experiences and opinions with me. Their contributions were instrumental in writing this report. A special thank you goes to the United Nations Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of Human Rights by Persons with Albinism, Ikponwosa Ero, for sharing her insights and providing valuable contributions to this report. Finally, the Consultant would like to express her gratitude to IOM staff for the time and efforts they invested in facilitating field visits and sharing information. Viktoria Perschler SITUATION ANALYSIS ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROTECTION OF PERSONS III WITH ALBINISM IN MOZAMBIQUE WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING Table of contents Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................................VII Glossary of frequently used terms ................................................................................................................VII 1. Context of the Situation Analysis ...........................................................................................................1 1.1. Country Context .............................................................................................................................1 1.2. Persons with Albinism and Attacks against Persons with Albinism in Mozambique .....................................................................................................................................2 1.3. Attacks against Persons with Albinism in the African and Regional Context .......2 2. Scope of the Situation Analysis and Methodology ...........................................................................5 2.1. Scope of the Situation Analysis ..................................................................................................5 2.2. Methodology ......................................................................................................................................5 2.3. Geographical Scope and Sampling of Provinces .................................................................5 2.4. Primary Data Collection, Data Entry and Analysis ...........................................................6 2.5. Limitations ...........................................................................................................................................7 3. Self-Perception of Persons with Albinism ............................................................................................9 4. Human Rights Violations against Persons with Albinism ............................................................ 11 4.1. Discrimination of Persons with Albinism ........................................................................... 11 4.2. Attacks against Persons with Albinism .............................................................................. 12 4.3. Trafficking in Persons for the Purpose of Organ Removal ......................................... 13 4.4. Special Vulnerability of Children with Albinism to be Victims of Trafficking ..... 20 4.5. Vandalism of Graves .................................................................................................................... 21 5. Causes of Discrimination and Other Human Rights Violations against Persons with Albinism ................................................................................................................ 23 5.1. Poverty as a Cause for Criminal Acts – Abductions, Trafficking, Maiming, Killing, Organ Trafficking and Grave Vandalism - against Persons with Albinism ................................................................................................. 23 5.2. Ignorance .......................................................................................................................................... 24 5.3. Myths and Superstitions ............................................................................................................ 25 5.4. Witchcraft ....................................................................................................................................... 26 6. Perpetrators and Cross-Border Trafficking ...................................................................................... 29 6.1. The Perpetrators........................................................................................................................... 29 6.2. Cross-Border Trafficking .......................................................................................................... 33 7. Current Situations of Attacks against Persons with Albinism and Persisting Challenges ......................................................................................................................... 37 8. Special Considerations .............................................................................................................................. 39 8.1. Childhoods of Persons with Albinism .................................................................................. 39 8.2. Gender Dimension ....................................................................................................................... 41 9. Other Human Rights Issues .................................................................................................................... 43 10. Protection of Persons with Albinism in Mozambique ................................................................. 45 10.1. Legislation Protecting Persons with Albinism in Mozambique .................................. 45 10.2. Multisectoral Action Plan to Respond to the Problem of Persons with Albinism and their Protection ....................................................................................... 47 SITUATION ANALYSIS ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROTECTION OF PERSONS V WITH ALBINISM IN MOZAMBIQUE WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING 10.3. Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities ........................................................................... 50 10.4. Human Rights Entities ................................................................................................................. 50 10.5. Reference Groups for Child Protection and Combating Trafficking in Persons ......................................................................................................................................... 50 10.6. Associations Assisting Persons with Albinism in Mozambique ................................. 51 10.7. Regional Efforts to Protect Persons with Albinism ....................................................... 51 10.8. International Criminal Justice Cooperation and Attacks against Persons with Albinism ................................................................................................